By: Christina Easter
Aspiring professional athletes and former professional athletes huddled with Northeast Ohio sports industry professionals in September at Cuyahoga Community College Corporate College East for its first Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Summit to discuss the preparation, prizes and challenges passing through amateur sports.
The day-long Summit was hosted by Renee Richard, president Corporate College East and Anthony Franklin, executive director of Athletics, Wellness and Recreation. The event included continental breakfast, a roster of speakers, lunch, and a field of networking opportunities.
As athletes, parents, grandparents, coaches and other attendees sipped their morning beverage they heard first from Luke Feldman, sports law attorney with Amundsen Davis. Feldman gave a keynote address on NIL in Real Time: What’s Changed, What Matters and What Comes Next.
Feldman explained that generally, name and likeness means your name, image means a pic or video of you, and likeness means a graphic representation of you.
Feldman spoke on topics such as a NIL lawsuit he filed in 2025, the difference between high school and college NIL deals, the transfer portal, and money on many of the sidelines.
High school student athletes in attendance followed with questions on the difference between an attorney and an agent and when is the right time to hire an agent. Industry professionals in attendance informed athletes on such matters as NIL deals available at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (NBCUs), the importance of an education, and understanding the effect an NIL deal can have on your day-to-day life.
After the morning keynote, attendees listened and learned at panels presented by a host of professionals who work at law firms, colleges and universities, and other sports businesses in Cleveland.
The morning panels included: “Recruiting in the Revenue-Share Era: The New Rules of Competition” and “Leading Through Change: Coaching in the New NIL Landscape” both moderated by R. Richard.
“Preparing Athletes for the NIL Marketplace” was moderated by Evan Richard, East Technical High School and Ronna McNair moderated “From the Deal to the Dollar: Understanding and Protecting NIL Earnings”.
The afternoon panels included: “Own Your Story: Personal Branding and the Business of You” moderated by E. Richard; “Navigating the Athlete Journey: Recruiting, Compliance and Title IX” moderated by Suzanne Ortiz, executive director of Entrepreneurship Educational Development at Tri-C Corporate College East; “The NIL Deal Playbook: Finding Opportunities and Closing the Deal” moderated by Bianca Smith attorney and managing associate with Benesch; “Athletes to Athletes: Real Talk About NIL” moderated by Ronna McNair, executive director of Tri-C’s Center for Entrepreneurs; and “Building NIL-Ready Athletes: Brand Development, Opportunity and Support” moderated by Feldman, Franklin and Bob Dunn, Cleveland State University Women’s Basketball Coach.
Navigating NILs
The major event featured Northeast area parents who have and are experiencing NIL deals with their children. This line-up included Kevin and Stephanie Weaver, parents of a NIL college athlete, Brad Sellers, former first round draft pick (9th overall) in the 1986 NBA Draft, and Brush High School head coach Chester Mason.
The Weavers answered questions surrounding their daughter, Hailey Weaver’s revenue-share NIL arrangement as a player for Northwestern University. Hailey was ranked as the No. 35 overall recruit by ESPN in 2021 and to the second-team All-Ohio Division I after her career at Solon High School.
Sellers shared his family’s NIL experience with daughter, Shyanne Sellers who went from a record-setting college player at the University of Maryland to being a current member of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Los Angeles Sparks.
Mason shared how his family is navigating NIL experiences for their pair of hoop-stars,Tatiana and Nylah Mason. The duo plays for Brush High School in Lyndhurst – Nylah is a sophomore and Tatiana is a senior who has verbally committed to play for The Ohio State University.
Corporate College’s first summit was a success and plans are underway for the next one. Additional information can be obtained by contacting entrepreneur@tri-c.edu
